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S. 3526 110th Congress Senate

Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008

Official title: A bill to enhance drug trafficking interdiction by creating a Federal felony relating to operating or embarking in a submersible or semi-submersible vessel wit… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to enhance drug trafficking interdiction by creating a Federal felony relating to operating or embarking in a submersible or semi-submersible vessel without nationality and on an international voyage.

Introduced: September 18, 2008 See on congress.gov
Crime and Law Enforcement Administrative procedureCivil actions and liabilityConspiracyDistrict courts
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Drug abuseDrug law enforcementDrug trafficEvidence (Law)Fines (Penalties)Government Operations and PoliticsIdentification devicesJurisdictionLawMarine transportationSentences (Criminal procedure)Sentencing guidelinesSubmarinesTransportation and Public WorksU.S. Sentencing Commission
This bill died when the 110th Congress ended
It never became law before the 110th Congress (2007–2008) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Nov 18, 2008
Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 1116 under authority of the order of the Senate of 11/17/2008.
Sep 18, 2008
Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
Sep 18, 2008
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action November 18, 2008

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 1116 under authority of the order of the Senate of 11/17/2008.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose a fine and/or prison term of up to 15 years for knowingly operating or embarking in any submersible or semisubmersible vessel that is without nationality and that is navigating in, or has navigated into, through, or from, waters beyond the outer limit of the territorial sea of a single country or a lateral limit of that country's territorial sea with an adjacent country, with the intent to evade detection. Grants extraterritorial federal jurisdiction over violations of this Act.

Makes it an affirmative defense to a prosecution under this Act that a vessel operated at the time of a violation was: (1) a vessel of the Untied States or lawfully registered in a foreign nation; (2) classed by and designated in accordance with the rules of a classification society; (3) lawfully operated in a government-regulated or licensed activity; or (4) equipped with and using an operable automatic identification system, vessel monitoring system, or a long range identification and tracking system. Specifies the documents required to conclusively prove an affirmative defense.

Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to promulgate or amend existing guidelines to provide adequate penalties for violations of this Act.

 Related & companion bills 5
 Bill text 2 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 3526: Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008. 110th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/110-S-3526/
MLA
"S. 3526: Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008." 110th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/110-S-3526/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 3526, 110th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/110-S-3526/.
Markdown link
[S. 3526: Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008](https://openamerica.io/bill/110-S-3526/)
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